Liverpool
When Transfer Requests Tore at the Seams: Five Career‑defining Exits and Near‑exits
Gerrard’s 2005 request to Isak’s exile: five transfer demands that unsettled major clubs. and others
Transfer requests and public declarations have long been a fault line between players and clubs. These five episodes show how contract rows, public interventions and outright exile reshaped careers and club decisions.
Steven Gerrard stunned Liverpool supporters in July 2005 by lodging a transfer request amid a contract standoff. Chelsea submitted a £32 million bid for the 25-year-old, which Liverpool rejected. Under pressure from fans and the club, Gerrard ultimately withdrew his request and signed a new deal that kept his legacy at Anfield intact.
William Gallas’s relationship with Chelsea deteriorated after he demanded an improved contract in the summer of 2006. He struck in an effort to force a move and pursued a transfer to Arsenal. Chelsea later issued a statement claiming Gallas had threatened to score an own goal or get a red card if forced to play. Gallas denied those accusations. He represented Arsenal for four years, then left for Tottenham Hotspur in 2010 on a free transfer. The club’s chairman described his demands as “quite extravagant”.
Wayne Rooney publicly criticised Manchester United’s transfer ambitions in 2010 and said he would not sign a new contract. He then signed a five-year extension and helped United win the Premier League in two of the next three seasons. After a falling out with Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013, Rooney again sought to leave; Chelsea made a £20 million offer that was rejected, with Arsenal and Real Madrid also linked. David Moyes insisted Rooney was not for sale; Rooney remained at Old Trafford for another four years before returning to Everton.
Raheem Sterling left Liverpool after a turbulent 2015 summer. He gave a 27-minute BBC interview without the club’s permission, said he had turned down a new contract and was flattered by interest from Arsenal. His agent stated that no amount of money would keep him at Anfield. Sterling was left out of Liverpool’s pre-season tour of Asia and eventually joined Manchester City for just shy of £50 million, ending his Liverpool chapter.
Alexander Isak’s summer saga began when Liverpool made an informal mid-July approach. Newcastle United insisted he was not for sale; Liverpool then signed Hugo Ekitiké for £79 million. Isak made clear he wanted to leave and that Liverpool were his only destination. Newcastle rejected his claims, he went into exile and released a statement accusing the club of breaking promises. The club rejected the 25-year-old’s comments and refused his exit.
Liverpool
Five long-term candidates Liverpool could target to succeed Mohamed Salah
Liverpool eye long-term successors to Mohamed Salah: five credible options for the right wing today.
Mohamed Salah remains the benchmark on Liverpool’s right wing after being named 2024–25 Premier League Player of the Season. The club’s recruitment network is already considering long-term replacements because maintaining continuity after the exit of a modern icon has been central to Liverpool’s success.
Michael Olise: Now at Bayern Munich after leaving Crystal Palace, Olise produced 20 goals and 20 assists in his debut season for the Bundesliga champions and was named Rookie of the Season for 2024–25. The 23-year-old can play centrally or on the flank and is noted for his first touch and finishing. Recent reports have suggested that Olise is viewed by the Reds as Salah’s dream replacement.
Rodrygo: Regularly linked with a Real Madrid exit with Arsenal and Manchester City mentioned as potential suitors, Rodrygo has struggled to impress new manager Xabi Alonso and appears intent on winning Alonso over in 2024–25. Comfortable on the right despite being right-footed, he has managed 34 goals and 31 assists in 146 appearances in that role. Liverpool have been touted as prospective buyers in previous windows.
Antoine Semenyo: The Ghana international has directly troubled Liverpool, opening the scoring in Bournemouth’s 3–1 defeat to Liverpool in 2023–24 and scoring a brace in Bournemouth’s 4–2 defeat at Anfield after alleged racist abuse in the first half. He managed 13 goals and six assists last season, attracted interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, and signed a new contract over the summer.
Anthony Gordon: A player Liverpool once released at the age of 11, Gordon is now at Newcastle United after leaving Everton. The Reds were interested last summer but did not match Newcastle’s demands. Gordon prefers the left but has been used on the right by Eddie Howe, where he recorded a goal and six assists in 11 appearances. Liverpool remain thought to monitor him.
Bradley Barcola: Comfortable on either flank, Barcola has totalled five goals and 14 assists in 29 matches from the right wing across his career, with nine of those contributions coming across the last two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain. He produced 21 goals and 18 assists in 2024–25 under Luis Enrique, has 15 caps for France and scored twice since his senior debut in May 2024. Reports claim PSG rebuffed bids from Liverpool while L’Équipe outlined the Reds’ interest.
Each option presents different strengths, and Liverpool’s next right-sided star will need to offer consistency, creativity and a high output in goals and assists to follow Salah’s example.
Crystal Palace
Tuchel praises Marc Guéhi’s conduct after late Liverpool transfer collapse
Tuchel praised Marc Guéhi’s reaction after a late-window Liverpool move collapsed, calling him strong
England manager Thomas Tuchel has commended Marc Guéhi for his temperament after a proposed move to Liverpool fell through on Deadline Day.
The centre back had been understood to be close to joining Liverpool in the final hours of the summer window, but Crystal Palace withdrew from the deal when they could not identify a replacement in time. Guéhi remains under contract at Selhurst Park but is widely expected to depart by next summer when his deal expires.
Guéhi travelled with the England squad for the international double-header against Andorra and Serbia and, according to Tuchel, has shown no sign of disruption in camp. “We had a chat with him,” Tuchel told reporters on Friday. “He looks absolutely fine. Very impressive on the field. He’s the main driver of Palace’s success, captain and the leader. He’s continued this in camp [with England]. He handles it with respect and grace and a brilliant attitude.”
Tuchel’s assessment underlines that Guéhi has remained focused on his performances for club and country despite the uncertainty surrounding his future.
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner had been public about the club’s stance before the deadline, emphasising the difficulty of finding an immediate replacement and the value Guéhi brings to the side. “I told the chairman we have to keep Marc if we want to play a successful season. We have no chance to find the right replacement in one day [before the transfer deadline]. We all agreed that we just sell Marc if we have the right replacement in the building,” Glasner told BBC Sport last weekend.
For now, the matter rests with Guéhi, Palace and any potential suitors. Tuchel’s comments reflect a view that the player has navigated the setback professionally and that his immediate attention remains on contributing in England colours and for his club while discussions about his longer-term future continue.
Liverpool
Robertson: I Considered Leaving After Losing Guaranteed Place at Liverpool
Robertson admits he weighed up a move after his starting role was challenged at Liverpool this summer
Andy Robertson has acknowledged that the summer transfer window brought real doubt over his future at Liverpool when his status as a regular was called into question. The Scotland international said the uncertainty marked the first time he had to pause and assess his options.
Despite publicly insisting he remained capable of competing at the highest level, reports suggested Robertson was “keen” on a move to Atlético Madrid. No transfer materialised, and Robertson says those reports prompted reflection.
“That was the first summer that I’ve had to think about my future,” Robertson told assembled reporters while on international duty this week. “It’s always been nailed on where I’m going to be and what my position looks like. So I had to consider things.
“Ultimately we came to the conclusion that our hearts were still at Liverpool. We committed to that and it’s a decision I don’t regret.”
The experienced 31-year-old has been restricted to the bench in Liverpool’s opening matches of the season, starting each of the club’s four fixtures on the bench. He was introduced for the final half-hour of the opening weekend game against Bournemouth after Kerkez endured a testing home debut, but Robertson was unable to prevent Antoine Semenyo scoring twice for the visitors.
Manager Arne Slot has not yet given Robertson further minutes this season. Robertson reflected on the change in his role and the personal adjustment it required.
“I’m used to playing pretty much every game,” Robertson mused. “I’ve had eight years at Liverpool where—apart from at the beginning—I’ve always been a starter. Obviously in the first few games this season I’ve found myself on the bench. But I had time to think over the summer about what I wanted. ]”,
The full account confirms a player wrestling with the prospect of leaving Anfield before deciding to remain, while also facing an altered place within the first-team picture.
